BE

EBEAAABE
BE SOIL
SOIL
ASOIL
A SCIENTIST
SCIENTIST
SOILSOIL
SCIENTIST
SCIENTIST BE A SOIL SCIENTIST
SCIENTIST s a s fasdtafeftsty eaey fytey saftey
h h a
h na d
an
h n d d a n lgagrtztaeoraz,reczg,eorca,vaocenzvogredevt,greocgsock.
h
crobe
icrobe
robe meal
Microbemeal
meal mealYouYou
Microbe meal
Youwill
will
will
You need:
need:
need:
will aatrowel,
aneed:trowel,
trowel,
You card,
card,
a trowel,
willcard,
need: atrowel,
ashovel,
aacard,shovel,
shovel, aapen,
pen,
a shovel,
acard,
pen, atape, aMicrobe
tape,
tape,
ashovel,
pen, aaa
stick,
tape,
stick, and
stick,
aand
pen, and
stick, meal
ananaold
an
and
tape,old old andYou
an old
stick, will need: a sock.
100%-cottontrowel,
100%-cotton
100%-cotton
an old sock.
sock.
100%-cotton sock.
100%-cotton sock. a pen, tape, a stick, andHan
card, a shovel, elataHltletaalcatuactucoHturaeotgrocarr100%-cotton
eHHaeold u acin cu
h
rover , cover
inincrhging ching
h
raze
e ee e cuh vuvhav fo eveuetorue tou re tou
Ifyuoy
o
yin u uhvya
oIfa
h hoa bre ybosbeu eeh
rfofoto
a to
rrbrepdfo , e,sfo
lthy
althy
hy soils
Healthy
soilssoils
are 1.Dig1.DigaDig20-cm
are are1. soils
are
soils
Healthy a1.a20-cm
are 20-cm
Dig (7.9-in)
(7.9-in)
a(7.9-in)
20-cm pitpit and
pit
(7.9-in)
1. Dig aand
20-cm 2.Use
and 2.Use
pit2.(7.9-in)
and Usea atrowel
a pit
2.
troweltrowel
Use
and to
2.tofill
a totrowel
fill filltoa fill
Use trowel 3.Put
to3.Put
3.Healthy Put3.the
the
fill the
sock
Put sock
soils sock
the inthe
in areinthe
sock
3. the
Put the1.sock
inthe Dig in the (7.9-in) pit and 2. Use
a 20-cm a5.Dig
5. 5.Dig trowel
Digthe
the 5.the tosock
Digsock
sock upfill
the upafter
5.after
up
sock after
Dig up eight
eight
the 3. Put
eight
aftersock upthe
eight sock
after If
Ifeight the p la
ap spte
la la sIf
sarteptelarto te eh e eusodcte
lasd ob
silhos,reilil
d oil, d s5. , the sock up after ei
oilDig
put
put put
the thethe soil
soil
put on
soil
on
the on
somesome
soilsome
on
put paper.
paper.
paper.
some
the soil onthe
paper. the
somethe sock
sock sock
the
with
paper. with
with
sock
somesome
some
with
the some
sock withpitpit
some
homepit
andand
and
cover
pit
to cover
cover
and it itit
cover
with
organisms, with
with
pit it
and with put
cover the
it soil
with on some paper. the sock
weeks.
weeks. with
weeks.If If
weeks.some
it’s
If
it’s been
it’s
been
If been
it’s eaten,
eaten,eaten,
been
weeks. If pit
eaten,
it’s and
been cover it
eaten, w
it
ititit
w
with h
wita
h
it
it h aw it h
o uo ’v
uoe
it ’v
u w e
’v o
u
it
etoh
u
cu
toh
a
’v
c
ue c h
to o u ’v e touche weeks. If it’s been eaten,
e
me to
tohome organisms,
to organisms,
organisms,
to organisms,
home to organisms, y
e.reA
ftril y y
r fter a.na y !ehsr!a y
s!nds! hands!
of ofthe
ofthe ofsoil.
the
soil. soil.
the soil.of the soil. the thethe rest
rest rest
theof ofthe
ofthe
rest ofsoil
the
soil soil
theto
the restsoil of the soil 4. 4.4. 4. of the withsoil. plenty ofholes,
ofholes, thethe
the ofrest of thesosoil oAil
silos.il .seA
. ftA o ft
ooh
ohyuaoyrssu rilrh Adu
h asd
nft
rnd r with plenty of holes, the
m earthworms
mfrom earthworms
earthworms earthwormstototo
from to
earthworms to from earthworms Ta Ta
peTa
pe pe Ta pe 4. with
Tape
with
plenty plenty
with ofplenty holes,
withoftheholes,
plenty the holes, wa wsw aha syh
sw hu yo w 4.asTahpeyocaurd
from
from from
thethe the
from paper.
paper. paper.
the paper.
from the paper. ca ca
rd ca
rd rd ca rd soil
soil ca
soil
is rd
is healthy
is
healthyhealthy
soil is because
healthy
becausebecause
soil it it
because
is hashas
it
healthyfrom
hasit the
has paper.
because it has soil is healthy because it
microbes.
yicrobes.
microbes.
tiny microbes. If
IftinyIf microbes.
If If tiny microbes. If to toatosti ckto
a astisti a tosti
cktock to a stick to to a stick to
tock to lots
lots lots
of of oforganisms!
organisms!
organisms!
lots of organisms!
lots of organisms! lots of organisms!
ve
u’ve
got got
got
you’ve aa garden,
garden,
a garden,
got a garden,
you’ve got a garden, you’ve got a garden, mama
kema amaama
keakema ke
ma
rke rke make
a r.mar.rke
r.rke r. a marker. make a marker.
y a cotton
arycotton
a cotton
bury asocksock
sock
cotton
bury to
atocotton
to sock to sock to bury a cotton sock to MaMa
rkMa rk rk Ma
thethth rk
e espo
spo Ma rk
tht.et. spot. the spot.
t.spo Ma rk th e spot.
dout
ut out
find ifif
if thethe
outtheifsoil
soil is isout
soil
the
find is ifisthe soil is
soil find out if the soil is
of ofhungry
lhungry
fullhungry
of hungrythings.
things.
things.
full ofthings.
hungry things. full of hungry things.
eMake
ake
sure sure
sure
the the
the
sure
socksock
sock
the sock
Make sure the sock Make sure the sock
is 100% cotton!
% 0%
100% cotton!
cotton!
iscotton!
100% cotton!
is 100% cotton! Hi HiHi Hi Hi
ntnstnastnsannatdns an nts an
• D•o•nD’toDno’tn•’t Ddon’t tdiptsitpi•dspsDtonips d tips
’t use w
rm
morm hotel
Wormhotel
hotelhotel hotel
Worm YouYou
You will
will will
Youneed:need:
need:
will aa2-litre
aneed:
2-litre
You 2-litre disposable
disposable
adisposable
will 2-litre
need: disposable plastic
plastic
a 2-litre plastic bottle,
bottle,
plastic
bottle,
disposable scissors,
scissors,
scissors,
bottle,
plastic scissors,garden
garden
bottle,garden Worm hotel
garden compost,
compost,
compost,
scissors, compost,
garden You will need:
compost, soil,
soil, soil, asand,
sand, 2-litre
sand,
soil, aadisposable
asand,pencil,
pencil,
pencil, aaspray
a pencil,
soil, asand,
spray plastic
spray
abottle,
spray
pencil, bottle,
bottle,
bottle,cardboard,
bottle,
sprayscissors,
acardboard,
cardboard,
cardboard,
bottle, garden
leaves,
leaves,
leaves, cardboard,compost,
and
and
leaves,
and tape.
tape.tape.
and
leaves, h
tape.andeatape. h h u h s
pe.aepTa.hpTe. soil,
shT
e
e e
u s
s
u
e
w
e
e
s
eahp. Tsand,
s
e
o
e
wrhmwoursosmerfhsmewsfaaropfr.pencil,
e s e r o m o rmoTm
m
a
shefrsoem aormspray
cliaovamcopcmoodsm
s f bottle, cardboard
ctsomlipvroosm a compos
• L•o•oLkoLooko•k Loodkon’todno’t
a f t a f at f
et e
d
a f t
n
li •v’tli
e
d
L li
v o en
o
v
in
’t
kein a
in f t e in ptoaopns’t
o t e tin so t
keekpekin e rintrhrethtw e r tphinthe soilsdark! e
os r s
hworms
rthworms
worms
Earthworms spend
spend
spend spend
Earthworms1. 1.Ask
1.Askan1.anadult
Ask
spend anadult
Ask to to
adult
an 1.tohelp
adult
help help
Ask you
you
toan you
help you
adult2.to2.Spraying
Spraying
2.help
Spraying
2.you water
Spraying
water waterafterafter
afterafterwater
2.water
Spraying 3.Dig
3.Dig
3.Earthwormsin inyour
Dig3.
after your
inDig in garden
your garden
garden
your
spend 1.orAsk
orinoryour
orgarden
3. Dig garden 4.Worms
an4.adult4.Worms
or Worms like
to4.like
help
like
Worms
thethe
you 4.dark!
the
like
dark! the2.dark!
dark!
Worms Spraying
5.After
5.like 5.After
the 5.awater
After a aweek,
dark!
After
week, after
week,
asee seesee
5.week,
howhow
After seea3.week,
how Dig
how in
6. 6. your
Release
6. garden
Release
Release
see 6. the
how the or
the
Release theRelease
6.
d
eepthe gkhege4.
eginptin tem hpteWorms
hm egmtheheklike oemewremw
orsomerbgsmw sty
b ohb.reyilmom.ils .tbhyeoilw.5.orAfter il
ms by a. week, see how
d a m ad ma m
p cp pinto d a m
cdocnitoWrap in in in d a m in
dardkad,rakcpr,kcc,doacnaround y in
rives
eir lives
lives
their hidden
hidden
hidden
lives hidden
their cutcut
lives cut
thethe
hidden cutbottle
the
bottle bottle inhalf,
theinbottle inhalf,
cut inbeing
half,
being
the being
half, ineach
being
bottle each each
layer,
half, layer,
layer,
each
beingadd add0.50.5
add
layer, 0.5
cm
add
each cm(0.2
cm (0.2
0.5
layer,(0.2
cmadd a 0.5
a(0.2
park
theirapark
park
to
cmatofind
lives tofind
park
(0.2 tofive
find
five
hidden five
find worms.
aworms.
parkworms.
five cut the
toworms.
find Wrap
fivebottle
Wrap Wrap
worms. incardboard
half, being
cardboard
cardboard
Wrap around
cardboard
around around
Wrap each
around
cardboardlayer,
thethe the worms
worms addhave
around
worms
the 0.5have
have
worms cmchanged
changed
the (0.2worms
changed
have athe
thethe
changed park
worms
have the to
worms find
worms
back
changed five
back
back
wormsthe worms.
intointo
into
back into aback
worms
nafdnrdoforfoanrm dniopitdnio
itcoio
cardboard
nnCsnd.asaitCr.nio
rkoit, iocoo darthe
loa,oroadlblock k, cworms have changed
careful
careful
careful withwiththethe
with
careful the
with scissors.
scissors.
scissors.
the scissors.
careful in)in)of
with the in)ofsand,
scissors.sand,
ofin) 0.50.5
sand,
of 0.5cm
sand,
cm cm
(0.2
in) (0.2
0.5of(0.2
in)
cm in)in)
sand,(0.20.5 Put Put
in)from
cm Putthem
them them
Put
(0.2 inin)in
them
thethe
inBuildinhotel.
the
hotel.hotel.
thethem
Put hotel.incareful
the hotel.thethe
with the
the wormery
wormerywormery
the to toblock
scissors.
wormery block
tothe in)block
block
to
wormeryofsoil.
soil. sand,
soil.
There 0.5will
toThere
block
There
soil. cmwill(0.2
will
Therebe be bein)
lots
will
soil.lotsbeofof
lots
of
There Put
lots them
their in original
betheir
oftheir
will lots the
of hotel.
original
original
their original andoriginal
their m nodmthe fhtrhosm.wormery aCdyranrrfsy
r .rooy
oCto
m r
,nlda, nandnsd.l,Caanrsoil.
y dry toThere
ol, andwill be lots of
m view.
mfrom
view. view. Build
BuildBuild
view. Build
from view. Build view. li li li li t h et e e t lih e t h t ht t
em h h e t h h
Add adown, outout
10-cm light.
(3.9-in) Spray
layer the of
thecompost, and 5layers
cm (2 in) They’ll burrow afterhomeneafter
down, dnenw deit
dwhw neitdoutwwitolight. wrmw oreom nrem dw
eSpray ormem ethe teomtw otoermmetoburrows, e to layers will
ry in am the
m
em aaworm
a them
worm worm hotel
ahotelhotel
worm
them a Add
hotel Add
worm Add ahotel
a10-cm
a 10-cm
Add 10-cm (3.9-in)
(3.9-in)
a(3.9-in)
10-cm Add layer
layeralayer
(3.9-in)
10-cm of ofcompost,
layer
(3.9-in)ofcompost,
compost, andand
of compost,
layer and
5 cm5of5and
cm(2
cm(2in) in)in)(2and
5(2cm
compost, They’ll
They’ll
in)
them5They’ll
cm burrow burrow
They’ll
a(2worm burrow
in) down,
down, down,down,
burrow
They’ll
hotel burrow out
light. light.
outSpraySpray
light.the thelight.
Spray
out burrows,
Spray
burrows, thethe
the
burrows,
burrows,the layers
layers
the willwill
willthe
layers
burrows, will home
home
layershome after
afterafter
home
will it dhahotel
hmdapdmakm phitwith
ry
pkcdithkacm
rey inrwkyit
pwater achintarudydaily.
in ataumtinbupbakittucbhave t
iscover
discover
cover
to discover
whatwhat
what what of
to discover
of ofsoil.
soil. soil.
what
Spray
Spray
of Spray
soil.it it it
Spray of it
soil. Spray of
it of ofsoil.
soil. soil.
Poke
ofPoke
Poke
soil. Poke of soil. Poke using
using using
thethethe
using
to discover what holes.
holes. holes.
theAddAddAdd
holes.
using leaves
leaves
leaves
Add
the of soil.
leaves
holes. AddSprayhotel
hotel
leaves it
hotelwithwith
with
hotel water
waterwater
with daily.
daily.
hotel of
daily.
water soil.
have
daily.
withhave Poke
water
have begun
begun daily.
begun
have to totodisappear,
begun disappear,
disappear,to
have using
disappear,
begun to the
your
your holes.
your week’s
week’s
disappear, Add
week’s
your leaves
week’s your week’s eit h
nc e h n e it
n
towtoetwol.w h e bn
ele.tlo. wel. and
h e n towe ub to disappear,
begun
with
with with water.
water. water.
with water.with water. 1-cm 1-cm
1-cm (0.5-in)
(0.5-in)
(0.5-in)
1-cm (0.5-in) 1-cm (0.5-in) they do in the as asfood.
asfood.
food.
as with as
food. water.
food. 1-cm and (0.5-in)
andand
thethethe
and leaves
leaves leaves
the leaves
and the leaves experiment.
experiment.
experiment. as food.experiment.
experiment. the lleaves
.
eyodo doin
they
in in
thethe
do thesoil,
soil,
soil,
in thedo
they soil,in the soil, soil, may have
holes
holes in in
holes inthe
holes
the thein theholes in the holesmay inmay
may thehave
have have have may have
may
re
fore returning
beforereturning
returning returning
before returning hotel
hotel hotel
with withwith hotel with before returning
with
hotel hotelbeen with
been
been dragged
dragged dragged
been dragged been dragged been dragged
m
em to
othemtothe
the tosoil
the
soil soil
the
themsoilto the soil a apencil.
a pencil. pencil.
a pencil. a pencil. them to the soil a pencil.
intointothethe
into soil.soil.
the
into soil.
the soil. into the soil. into the soil.
arry
carry
rytoonon
onthe
carry
the the
on the on the
to carry to carry on the
d
od work.
work.
work.
good work.
good work. good work.

rfectly
erfectly
ectly Wonky
Wonky
Perfectly
Wonky carrots
Perfectlycarrots
Wonky
carrots
carrots
Wonky carrots
You
YouYouwill
will
will
You need:
need:
need:
will aapatch
patch
aneed:
patch
You aof
will of
ofsoil
patch
soil
need: afor
soil
for
of soil Perfectly
growing,
for growing,
growing,
patchfor aa trowel,
ofgrowing,
a trowel,
soil for Wonky
trowel,
a trowel,
growing, carrots
a trowel, a watering You
aawatering
watering will
can,
can,
a watering
can, need:
acan,
arake,
rake,
aa watering
rake, acarrot
acarrotpatch
carrot
rake, of soil
seeds,
aseeds,
seeds,
can,carrot for newspaper,
growing,
newspaper,
newspaper,
newspaper,
seeds,
rake, carrot alabels,
planttrowel,
plant
plant
seeds, labels,
labels,
plant
newspaper, and
and
labels,
and aand a watering
ashop-bought
shop-bought
a shop-bought
plant acarrot.
carrot.
a shop-bought
labels, andcarrot. can, a rake,
carrot.
shop-bought carrot seeds, newspa
carrot.

ses
nes
and and
Stonesand twigs
twigstwigs
and 1. 1.Carrot
twigsand
Stones 1.Carrot
twigsCarrot seeds
1.seeds seeds
Carrot should
should1.should
seeds Carrotbebeseeds
beshould 2. 2.Sprinkle
be 2.Sprinkle
shouldSprinkle
2.be thethe the
Sprinkle carrot
carrot carrot
2. seeds
theSprinkle
seeds seedsthe
carrot 3.Stones
seeds carrot and
3.seeds
3.If3.Ifthere’s
Ifthere’s
there’s twigs
no norain
Ifnothere’s
rain 3.rain in in1.noCarrot
Ifinthere’s
inno rain seeds
rain4. in4.4.Water
Water should
Water
4.
the the
the
Water be
carrots
carrots
carrots
the 2. Sprinkle
5.When
5.the
carrots
4. Water the
5.When 5. the
When
the
carrots carrot
the
Whenplants theseeds
plants
plants 5.areare
are the
plants
When 3. plants
are If6.there’s
6.After
6.After
are6.no
After
16–20rain
16–20
16–20
After inweeks
6.weeks
16–20weeks your
your
After your
weeks
16–207.4.7.Compare
your 7.Water
Compare
Compare
weeks the
7. your carrots
thethe
the
Compare carrots
7.carrots
carrots
the 5.the
carrots
Compare When the plants are
carrots
eoften
often
en
are removed
removed
removed
often often sown
removed
are sown
removedsownfromfrom
from
sown AprilApril
April
fromuntil until
sownuntil
April July.
July.
from along
July.April
until along
July. thethe
along
until the
along
row,row,
July.row,
theaboutabout 10 10
about
row,
along the10for
about
for for
10 the
row, forabout
the
are the 10
first
often
first first
the for
few few
removed
few
first
days,days,
days,
few
the days,first fewsown from
days, often
often April
often butuntil
but
butoften July.
gently,
gently,
gently,
but at atatalong
gently,
often the
around
ataround
but row,
around
gently, 10cm
10around
at 10about
cm(4
cm10(4in)(410cm
in) for
tall,
in)
around(4tall,
tall, in)
thin the
10thin
thin
tall, first
carrots
cm carrots
(4thin
in) few
carrots
tall, days,
should
shouldshould
carrots
thin befully
be
beshould fully
fully
be fully
carrots often
shouldtobetoato but agently,
a ashop-bought
shop-bought
shop-bought
fully to toat
one
shop-bought
one one onearound 10
a shop-bought onecm (4 in) tall, t
mhemthe
the
from soil
soil soil
the before
before
before
soil
frombefore Rake
the soil Rake thethe
Rake
before soilsoil
the
Rake thetoloosen
soil
to loosen
tosoil loosen
Rake to the
loosen every
soil every
toevery2.5
loosen2.5cm
every2.5cm(1cm (1inch)
2.5 inch)
(1every
cminch)
of(1 ofinch)
of cm
2.5 ofwater
(1from
inch)
water
water theofthe
the the
waterrow row
soil row
the
andandand
row
cover
water
before cover
cover
and Rake
thecover
row andthe soil level.
ground
ground
coverground to loosen
level.
level.level.
ground groundevery
them
level. 2.5
them tocm
them to to(1one
them
one inch)
onetoplant
plant plant
one of every
every
them every
plant water
to every
one grown!
plant the
grown!
grown!row
Gently
every andpull
Gently
Gently
grown! cover
pull
pull
Gentlythemthem
grown! them
pull
out outtoground
out
them
Gently tosee
out
pull toseesee
the
them level.
the
to the difference! see thethem
difference!
difference!
see
out the todifference! to one plant every
difference!
sots
rrots are
are
carrots
are grown.
grown.grown.
are grown.
carrots it,and
areit,grown. it,and
andit,digadig
dig anda a1-cm
1-cmdig1-cm a (0.5-in)
it, (0.5-in)
(0.5-in)
1-cm
and dig alength.
length.
(0.5-in) length.
1-cm Cover
Cover Cover
length.
(0.5-in) withwith
Cover soil.soil.
with
length. soil.Cover
with soil. itwith
itwith
carrots soil.
itwithwith
damp damp
itare damp
with newspaper
grown.newspaper
newspaper
dampit with damp it,
newspaper and dig a 1-cm (0.5-in) length.
newspaper 6 cm6 6Cover
cm(2
cm(2 with
in)by
6in)(2cm in)(2 soil.
bypulling
by pulling
in) 6pulling
by
cmout out in)itby
out
pulling
(2 with
out ofdamp
ofthe
ofpulling the
the newspaper
ground.
ground.
ground.
ofoutthe ground.of the ground. 6 cm (2 in) by pulling out
sisisisso
This
so sothey
theyisthey
soThis
theyis so they deepdeep
deep
row. row.
row. row. deep row.
deep for for
This for ais
a week aweek
forweek
soor orso.
athey orso.so.
week foror aso.week or deep
so. row. thethe the smaller
smaller
smaller
the ones. ones.
ones.
smaller theones.smallerforones.
a week or so. the smaller ones.
w
ow straight
straight
straight
grow down
down down
straight
grow down
straight down grow straight down
out objects without objects
uthout
withoutobjects
objects objects
without objects
elthe
elthe
elLab
LabLab car
the
Lab rot
elcar
car rot
the scar
srot s rot
Lab el sthe carrots blocking their way. Label the carrots
king
cking
ng their
blocking
their theirway.
way. way.way.their way.
their
blocking
witwithwitthe the
h hwit dat e,
dat e,
dat e, dat
theh the with the e, dat e, with the date,
what
ehat
what
See happens
happens
happens
what happens
See what happens yoyouryourinit ial
urinit s,ial
ial
init
yo ur s,and
s,and
init and
ial s, ur
yo andinitials, and See what happens your initials, and
rwise...
erwise...
wise...
otherwise... otherwise... thethe plapla
the the ntnam
ntnam
ntpla plae.
nam e.e.nam
nt thee.plant name. otherwise... the plant name.
56 56 56

Try these soil experiments to discover more about Content from: RHS Under Your Feet
what happens underneath our feet every day. Suitable for 5–9 years Available now